C4EO - Our people
C4EO draws on a consortium of core partners: National Children’s Bureau (NCB); National
Foundation for Educational Research (NFER); Research in Practice (RIP) and the Social
Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). It works closely with a number of other strategic
and delivery partners and in close consultation with the Association of Directors
of Children’s Services (ADCS). C4EO works with local services drawing on expert
practitioners from across the Children’s Sector, national experts, and representatives
from a broad range of academic and research institutions, recruited to work for
C4EO on a part time basis. All our people have credible personal histories of improving
outcomes for children, and are focussed on using the best available evidence to
deliver. The benefit of this unique workforce is that our team have a sound understanding
of the current issues facing the sector and can therefore provide genuine peer to
peer support to build capacity and improve outcomes.
C4EO staff
Christine Davies CBE – Director
Christine Davies has most recently been Programme Director for the LGA/DCSF ‘Narrowing
the Gap’ (in children’s outcomes) programme which identifies leading
practice in improving outcomes for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children and young
people. Before this, Christine was a highly experienced Director of Children’s
Services for Telford & Wrekin Council. Under her leadership, the Council was
recognised as an exemplar in delivering integrated children’s services and
was the only Authority to receive two Beacon Awards for ‘Integrating Children’s
Services’ and ‘Early Intervention’ (Children at Risk).
Christine has held many national roles, over the last 10 years, including President
of the Association of Chief Education Officers and Adviser to the Local Government
Association.
She currently is a member of NCSL’s Guiding Coalition for development of leaders
of Children’s Services, sits on the Expert Panel for the National Safeguarding
Delivery Unit, is a Board Member for Partnership for Schools (BSF) and the National
Stakeholder Board for Children and Families.
Heather Rushton - Deputy Director - Programme and Performance Management
Heather is responsible for the programme and performance management of the C4EO
programme and its delivery. Heather has enjoyed a varied career working in Children’s
Services for 30 years. Building on her initial role as a class teacher and culminating
as Head teacher. Heather joined Local Authority work during the 1990s and her last
role was as a Children’s Services Adviser in a Government Office. During her
career Heather has been involved in the writing and delivering of a number of national
training programmes.
Helen Goody - Assistant Director - Theme Coordination
Helen has worked for Kent County Council for the past three years as a Joint Commissioning
Officer with a responsibility for planning and commissioning preventative and early
intervention services for children and young people with a range of partners. She
has also had a change management role influencing the development of local
children's services partnerships in Kent. Before that, Helen was a Programme
Manager for integrated children's services at the Local Government Association and
in particular, worked with national partners to influence the development of Every
Child Matters and the Children Act 2004.
Sue Rowley - Assistant Director - Locality Working
Sue Rowley has recently been working as part of the core team with the Narrowing
the Gap programme where she led consultation on the Early Years theme and worked
closely with the regional offices, organising nine regional conferences. Moving
on from an initial teaching career, culminating in Headship, she spent ten years
at Telford & Wrekin Local Authority from its inception, undertaking a variety
of roles including leading on Early Years, Primary School Improvement and latterly
Planning & Performance. She is an accredited outcomes based accountability trainer.
Sue is married with one daughter age 17, and is a keen musician.
David Wood - Head of Finance and Planning Coordinator
David's previous job was working for six years at the New Deal for Communities Regeneration
Programme in south London. This involved undertaking finance and monitoring duties
as well as some project management and fundraising tasks. He is currently doing
an MA in Urban Regeneration and also does voluntary activities relating to a local
park and games area.
Robert Kearney – Interim Head of Communications
Robert has an extensive background in public sector marketing and communications
consultancy. His most recent roles have included central government positions at
the Home Office, Identity and Passport Service and Cabinet Office. Previously Robert
was a marketing specialist working in the ICT industry.
Kim Drake – Executive Assistant
Kim has over 20 years experience in local government having worked in both a New
Town Development Corporation and a Local Authority. She has been the personal assistant
to Directors of Leisure, Culture and Community; Education and has recently been
the PA to the Director for Children and Young People. During this time, Kim has
also administered support to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People together
with supporting Directors who held leading national roles with ILAM (Institute of
Leisure & Amenities Management) and the President of the Association of Chief
Education Officers.
Kim has previous experience of working in partnership, across numerous organisations,
as she has supported national projects such as the British Academy of Sport (Olympic
bid) and the Local Government Association’s ‘Narrowing the Gap’
programme.
Sarah Fullegar - Office Manager
Sarah has most recently been working as the Administrative Officer for the Asylum
Support Partnership Team, hosted by the Refugee Council. Prior to this Sarah completed
a degree in Media and Cultural Studies and has travelled extensively.
Function Leads
Sharon O'Donnell – Knowledge
Management
Sharon O’Donnell is Head of the International Information Unit at the National
Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). S he is also Head of the Eurydice Unit
for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, based at NFER. Sharon has been with NFER
for 16 years, amassing extensive experience in information services management and
national and international policy information on education. Sharon also chairs the
Foundation’s Leadership Forum, is a member of the Departmental Management
team in NFER’s Research, Evaluation and Information Department (REID, and
is involved in a number of international research projects at the NFER.
Amanda Edwards – Outputs and
Dissemination
Amanda Edwards is Head of Knowledge Services at the Social Care Institute for Excellence,
(SCIE) and a member of the senior management team reporting to the Chief Executive.
Amanda is responsible for the delivery of SCIE’s work programme, which includes
reviewing the evidence, the production and dissemination of tools and materials
for practice and the development of web-based services such as Social Care Online.
Dez Holmes– Capacity Building
Dez Holmes is the Programme Manager for C4EO responsible for Capacity Building.
Dez has frontline experience within social care and youth offending services. Prior
her current role, Dez was employed by a Local Authority and worked across directorates
(Children & Young People’s Services and Neighbourhoods), managing and
coordinating integrated early intervention services to families.
She chaired multi-agency Locality Panels as part of this role and previously managed
a multi-agency youth justice programme (YISP). Other experience includes working
as a lecturer in Social Work MSc and several years of training and workforce development.
Ivana La Valle – Evaluation
Ivana La Valle is the Director of Research, Evidence and Evaluation at the national
Children’s Bureau (NCB). Prior to this she was at the National Centre for
Social Research (NatCen) where she directed a group specialising in research on
children and their families. Since the introduction of the National Childcare Strategy
in 1998, Ivana has been involved in some key studies which have been used to monitor
the implementation of the Strategy and inform its development.
While at NatCen she co-directed the evaluation of Children’s Centres, a large
scale, mixed methods study which aims to provide a powerful and wide-range evidence-base
on the best way of supporting children and their families. She also set up the evaluation
and monitoring of Family Support Projects (FIPs), which provide intensive support
to families with the highest level of need.
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Theme Leads and Theme Chairs
Sue Owen - Theme Lead and Theme Chair for Early Years
Sue Owen is the Director of the Well-being
Department at the National Children's Bureau and was previously Director of the
Early Childhood Unit there. In the past she has held a number of posts in the early
childhood field including Early Years Lead Officer for Humberside County Council,
Information Officer for the National Childminding Association, Playgroup Adviser
for Manchester City Council, and Deputy Director of the Early Years National Training
Organisation. Sue's latest book is Authentic Relationships in Group Care for Infants
and Toddlers – RIE Principles into Practice (co-editor with Stephanie
Petrie). Her doctoral dissertation was on the development of professionalism in
childminding.
Celia Atherton - Theme Lead and Theme Chair for Disability
Celia Atherton started as a social
worker in 1976 and has worked in local authorities as a practitioner and manager,
and in the voluntary sector as social work advisor and then Director of Family Rights
Group. Celia has co-ordinated the dissemination and implementation strategies of
two DfES research programmes - Fostering Now: messages from research and Costs and
Outcomes of Services for Children in Need, and is doing the same for DCSF for the
Quality Matters research programme. In addition to being a member of the Nuffield
Foundation's Child Protection and Family Justice Committee, she is also a member
of the Advisory Board for the English and Romanian Adoptees Study, the National
Academy for Parenting Practitioners Scientific Advisory Group, the Editorial Advisory
Board for the Children & Young People Now journal, the International
Editorial Advisory Board of Evidence and Policy, and NFER's Advisory Group.
She was awarded an OBE for services to children and families in the 2007 New Year's
Honours.
Mary Sainsbury - Theme Lead for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children
Mary Sainsbury is the Vulnerable
Children Theme Lead based at the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Mary is a
registered social worker who has held posts as a social worker and senior social
worker for Islington Local Authority, hospital social work manager for the local
borough of Hackney, child protection chair for Newham, and child protection chair,
and policy and development officer with the local borough of Camden.
Amanda Edwards - Theme Chair for Vulnerable (Looked After) Children
Amanda Edwards is Head of Knowledge Services at the Social Care Institute for Excellence,
( SCIE) and a member of the senior management team reporting to the Chief Executive.
Amanda is responsible for the delivery of SCIE’s work programme, which includes
reviewing the evidence, the production and dissemination of tools and materials
for practice and the development of web-based services such as Social Care Online.
Helen Goody - Theme Lead for Child Poverty
Helen Goody has worked for Kent County
Council for the past three years as a Joint Commissioning Officer with a responsibility
for planning and commissioning preventative and early intervention services for
children and young people with a range of partners. She has also had a change management
role influencing the development of local children's services partnerships in Kent.
Before that, Helen was a Programme Manager for integrated children's services at
the Local Government Association and in particular, worked with national partners
to influence the development of Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004.
Catherine Fitt - Theme Chair for Child Poverty
Catherine Fitt did a degree in Experimental Psychology at St Hugh's College, Oxford
University and teacher training at Goldsmith's College, University of London.
After three years teaching in London she returned to education, doing a Masters
Degree in Child Development and qualifying as a psychologist from the Institute
of Education, University of London.
Catherine worked as an educational psychologist in Hampshire and on Teesside until
nine years ago when she moved into management and administration, working for children's
services ever since, moving from the post of Change Leader of Children's Services
at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in April 2005 to become the Executive Director
of Children's Services at Newcastle City Council.
Catherine is currently Strategic Director of Children’s Services at the National
College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.
Trish Kearney – Theme Lead for Safeguarding
Patricia Kearney is Head of Children & Families Services at SCIE and is a registered
social worker. Prior to this she was Head of Practice Development at NISW. Patricia
has held a number of practitioner and manager posts, with particular experience
in child protection remits within adult mental health services.
She worked for several years as lecturer at Goldsmiths College, University London,
delivering the PG qualifying social work and advanced family work programmes and
as an honorary family therapist at the Maudsley Hospital Children's Department.
John Coughlan – Theme Chair for Safeguarding
John Coughlan has been Director of Children’s Services in Hampshire County
Council since 2005. Previously he was Corporate Director of Social Care in
Telford and Wrekin Council and Assistant Director for Children and Families in Dudley
Council. His professional and managerial background was in Birmingham, primarily
working with children in care.
Having been Chair of the Children and Families Committee of ADSS for two years,
he became that association’s last President in 2006, before becoming Joint
President of the Association of Director’s of Children’s Services.
Among other roles he has been a member of the Beacon Panel and the Lifting the Burdens
Taskforce. He holds a degree in English and Art History, a CQSW and MBA.
John was awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year honours list in recognition of his work
for children’s services.
Sharon O'Donnell - Theme Lead for Schools and Communities
Sharon O’Donnell is Head of the International Information Unit at the National
Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). She is also Head of the Eurydice Unit
for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, based at NFER. Sharon has been with NFER
for 16 years, amassing extensive experience in information services management and
national and international policy information on education. Sharon also chairs the
Foundation’s Leadership Forum, is a member of the Departmental Management
team in NFER’s Research, Evaluation and Information Department (REID0, and
is involved in a number of international research projects at the NFER.
Neil Wilson – Theme Chair for Schools and Communities
Neil is Executive Headteacher at Newall Green High School, and Benchill Primary
School 3-19 Federation in Wythenshawe, Manchester. The 11-19 school has three specialisms:
Expressive and Performing Arts (2000), Science with Mathematics (2004), and Vocational
(2006), It is an oversubscribed sixth form intake 11-19 community school. There
are 1482 students within the federation. The school has recently opened a sixth
form and has completed at BSF building programme. It recently featured on the promotional
DVD for the DCSF for the 21st Century Schools consultation. The federation has children
with SLD, MLD and physical disabilities. It operates its own full service school
provision, including a social worker and CAMHS team. Family support workers operate
across the federation. Neil’s team also manages the school leisure centre
which runs holiday clubs for vulnerable young people.
In an area that is dominated by Manchester United and Manchester City supporters,
he maintains neutrality by supporting Stockport County for whom he was once on the
coaching staff.
Sue Quinn - Theme Lead for Youth
Sue joined the National Youth Agency in 2004 and is an experienced National Programme
Manager with an extensive background in services for young people. Her current role
with the Agency is National Programme Manager - IYSS, with responsibility for a
diverse portfolio including the 14-19 Agenda, and the improvement, quality and integration
developments within Integrated Youth Support Services.
Previously Sue has been a Principal Youth Officer in the Merseyside area where she
took lead responsibility for establishing and managing a restructure to create a
more effective, responsive and creative service. With more than twenty five years
experience, Sue has an extensive range of experience in both the voluntary and statutory
youth sectors managing a variety of young people’s services.
John Harris - Theme Chair for Youth
John Harris has been Hertfordshire’s Director of Children, Schools and Families
since 2003. He joined Hertfordshire after a distinguished career in education, local
government and the private sector. John is Chair of the Association of Directors
of Children’s Services (ADCS) Policy Committee on Families, Communities and
Young People, and contributes to a number of national developments in children’s
services.
Joanne Kellett - Theme Lead for Families, Parents and Carers
Joanne Kellett is a Research Fellow at the Family and Parenting Institute. She has
managed a number of research, review and evaluation projects exploring parenting
and family relationships, funded by DCSF, Ministry of Justice, Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
ESRC and Nuffield Foundation. She previously held several research posts in the
Health and Social Work departments at the University of East Anglia. Joanne also
manages the parents and carers panel for C4EO.
Deborah Absalom – Theme Chair for Families, Parents and Carers
Deborah has been Director of Children and Young People’s Services for the
London Borough of Bexley since May 2005 having formerly been the Borough’s
Director of Education. Previously, Deborah was Deputy Chief Executive of Education
in Leeds, Deputy Director of Education in Wigan and Assistant Director in Oldham.
She started her teaching career in Bolton following the completion of a research
Doctorate in Historical Geography.
Deborah is involved both in London and nationally across a full range of ‘children’s’
issues. In June 2008, Deborah was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Child
Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and in December 2009 as a member of the Governing
Council of the National College for School and Children’s Service Leadership
(National College).
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C4EO User Groups
Joanne Kellett - Parents and Carers Panel
Joanne Kellett is a Research Fellow at the Family and Parenting Institute. She has
managed a number of research, review and evaluation projects exploring parenting
and family relationships, funded by DCSF, Ministry of Justice, Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
ESRC and Nuffield Foundation. She previously held several research posts in the
Health and Social Work departments at the University of East Anglia. Joanne is also
the Theme Lead for the Families, Parents and Carers theme.
Manveen Patwalia - Children and Young People’s Network
Manveen joins the team as the lead on youth participation. She has worked for the
London Borough of Brent (famous for its Wembley Stadium) for the last seven years.
She has worked in the Youth and Connexions service, getting involved in both frontline
youth engagement as well as driving the strategic direction of youth participation.
Manveens' proudest and most successful project has been the development of Brent's
first ever youth parliament in 2007, set up to ensure the voices of the borough's
youngest residents are heard at the highest level of policy development and decision
making. Manveen has also got experience of partnership working, having managed various
projects founded as a result of the Every Child Matters Programme.
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